Isaac Keehl
by sandersonsister
Summary: Mello made a lot of mistakes in his life. But Isaac wasn't one of him. Near is shocked when he learns that his childhood rival had a son. He's even more shocked when he realizes that Mello requested Near take the boy in after Mello's death.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: New story! I hope everyone enjoys! Please review and let me know!

Near's heart was pounding in his chest as he stared at the monitor. This…this was not what he had planned. He had not factored this into his calculations and now…now Mello was dead. Matt was dead. They had joined L.

Near was left alone.

He wanted to scream. To curse and beg someone to tell him that it wasn't real. That Mello had not done something so very _stupid_. That he had not risked his own life and the life of his best friend when he could have contacted Near and they could have found a solution _together_.

He did not want to believe that Mello would have rather died than work with Near.

"Near."

The fire was raging and Near couldn't turn his eyes away. Mello was in the building. Even if they were able to put the fire out, at this point there would not be much left.

Near didn't want to think about that.

"Near."

He did not want to contemplate just what would be left of the young man that he had –

"Near!"

Near's eyes snapped over toward Rester. The man was staring at him in concern but Near was quick to put his usual expressionless mask in place. "Yes? What is it?"

Rester frowned but gestured toward the computer monitor. "There is a message for you."

"It can wait," Near said, his voice sharp as he once again looked toward where Mello's body was located. How hot was the fire burning? What of his would be spared? He would need to make sure someone collected whatever was left.

"You need to see it."

Anger rose in Near's chest and he snapped his head toward the man. Could he not have one minute, just _one_ , to grieve before the case was once again forced on him?! Near had known that Mello was going to do something dangerous, the blond was feeling backed into a corner, but he did not think he would actually be killed in his actions. Mello had always been careful and had an infinite about of luck. Not to mention, he would never do anything that would put Matt at risk. Yet, they were both gone. Near had not seen Matt since he left Wammy House all those years ago but he forever felt a fond spot for the redheaded boy that was always so quick to step between Near and an infuriated Mello.

However, it was Mello's death that hit Near the hardest.

"Near. It's a message from Mello."

Near was on his feet before he contemplated his actions. Rester blinked, probably because he was not used to Near moving from his usual position unless it was absolutely necessary, but stood from his chair at Near's motion to do so. "Please check on Gevonni," Near said, staring at the message on the screen. Rester hesitated for just one moment before he nodded his head and turned on his heel. Near waited until he was gone before he clicked on the message. He sighed but wasn't surprised when encrypted type appeared on the screen. Near narrowed his eyes and went to work. He might have not been as good with computers as Matt, but he knew both Mello and Matt would have been aware of his level and taken that into consideration. Soon enough, Near was reading the last letter he would ever receive from the blond.

 _Dear Near,_

 _I think I understand now. That picture you had, you wrote those words on the back of it. "Dear Mello". You thought I was dead and you wanted to say your goodbye's, right? Today, Matt and I are going to put a plan in motion that will mostly likely end with my death. I know you are probably furious right now, even if no one but me would know it. Soon enough, you'll know it was necessary. I know what you're planning, Near. If the options are my death or yours, well, I guess my choice is obvious now._

 _Do you remember when you first came to Wammy House? You were three years old and so damn sick all the time. You had nightmares and were terrified of everything. The dark, storms, anyone bigger than you. For some reason, you weren't afraid of me. I can't tell you how many times I woke up with you in my bed. What happened to those days? As we got older, the more closed off you became. I always prided myself on the fact that I was the only one to draw those emotions out of you._

 _I've made a lot of mistakes in my life. I shouldn't have let the stupid competition change things between us. I should have agreed to work with you and not left Wammy's. I shouldn't have used the connections my family had to the mafia. There were things I regret doing while I was with them that I regret but I know were necessary to survive. I regret all of these things but they led to something that I would never change._

 _His name is Isaac. He was born on August 24, 2009. He's five months old. I know you'll have questions. All I can say is that his mother is someone that is no longer an issue and, trust me, she_ _was_ _an issue. I made Matt promise to take Isaac if something happens to me but I'm going to ask you the same. I planned everything so that Matt should be safe. Help Matt with Isaac. If something goes wrong and Matt doesn't make it out, I'm going to ask you. Take my son. Don't let him go to an orphanage. Don't place him in Wammy's. The competition destroyed me. Destroyed us. I don't want that for my son._

 _Near, there are many things between us that went unsaid. You know that as well as I do. So, I'm going to ask that if you ever felt something for me at all, please take care of Isaac. I have no doubt that you know where I was staying in Tokyo. There's a woman across the hall that is watching him. Please._

 _Take care of him. Take care of yourself. Don't forget about me._

 _Mello_

Near was shaking as he finished the letter. He could feel his throat burning and he was biting his lip to keep himself calm. To keep himself together. He had never expected something like this. Have never thought it possible that Mello…

"Rester!" Near stood from the chair and quickly shuffled over to where the shoes he was forced to where on the rare occasion he left headquarters were located. The man appeared, startled, in the doorway. "We have somewhere we need to go."

"Sir-"

"We need to go now," Near cut the older man off, looking up and fixing the man with a stare that used to make Roger avert his eyes. Rester was no different and the man was quick to nod his head.

"Where is it we are going?"

"Mello's apartment."

Rester did not say another word as he led Near toward the waiting car.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Please review if you like the story!

Near scrunched up his nose in disgust as he looked at the building. There were working girls hanging out in front, a man passed out on the stair case in front of the building with used needles around him, and trash littered everywhere. Rester kept his hand on his gun as he stood in front of Near's door. Near sighed and pushed the car door open, getting out of the car and quickly moving toward the staircase. He eyed the man wearily and stepped around him, careful not to touch him or any of the unsavory things around him. He moved more quickly than he had in years, probably since before he left Wammy House and he needed to escape from Mello. The thought sent a pang throughout his chest and he quickly pushed it aside. He stopped in front of the apartment that Mello and Matt had shared and purposely turned toward the door across the hall. He eyed the door before pulling his sleeve over his hand and using the covered knuckles to knock.

The door was pulled open slightly, just enough for Near to see a dark eye and a chain, before it was slammed closed once more. Near blinked and briefly wondered if he should try again before he heard the clicking of the chain being removed and the door pulled open fully.

A young woman, probably only a few years older than Near himself, was frowning at him as a young child hung onto her ankles. "You Near?" she asked, looking first at Near's hair and then clothing. She snorted. "Yeah, you're him." She peered over his shoulder at Rester, her frown growing. "Mello's gone then? He thought was gonna happen," she shook her head and opened the door a bit further. "Matt too? Damn. Told 'em whatever they were doing was dumb. Didn't bother 'ta listen." She grabbed something behind the door and tossed it in Nears direction. He caught it, more on instinct than anything, and felt the coldness of metal press into his palm. He glanced down.

A key.

"Said 'ta give that to you," the woman said. She turned and stepped into her apartment. Near stayed in the hallway, swallowing hard and passing the key back to Rester. The man took it quietly, stepping back to open the apartment across the hall. He pushed the door open slightly but did not step inside. Before Near could say anything, the woman returned with yet another child. This one was significantly younger than the one that had been trailing the woman previously but the moment the baby looked at Near, he knew exactly who it was.

He had only seen those azure eyes on one other person.

"Isaac," Near said quietly. The woman's eyebrows rose but she nodded her head. She hesitantly reached out to pass the baby over and Near frowned as he tried to shift his arms in the position he had seen the woman holding her own. She snorted loudly and shook head. "Yeah, not like that." She looked toward Rester. "You know how to hold a baby?" Rester nodded and she nodded toward Near. "Show him."

Rester grimaced as he stepped forward and shifted Near's arms slightly. Near flinched and forced himself not to move away from the man. Rester looked up at him, eyes apologetic, but Near just motioned for him to continue. When Rester seemed satisfied, he stepped away. The woman nodded her approval and gently placed the child in Near's arms. He tightened his hold around the small body, the babies head resting on his shoulder as he did so. He made sure the child was secure but he was careful not to hold tight enough to hurt him. He just seemed so very _small_.

"Do we need to-"

"Mello took care of everything," the woman said and her face twisted into grief. "Take care of him, alright? Mello wanted him to have a good life. Better than anythin' he could get here."

Near slowly nodded his head and the woman nodded toward him once more before closing the door. Near heard the locks click into place instantly. He swallowed hard and held the baby – Isaac – just a bit closer. "Sir?" Rester asked. Near turned toward the older man, moving slowly because he didn't want to startle the little one in his arms, and saw the man staring down at him. "Sir, what are you going to do with…"

"Isaac."

"…Isaac?"

Near didn't bother responding to the question. He thought it was fairly obvious what was happening. Instead, he stepped into the open door and couldn't hold back a grimace at the sight. This…place…was where Mello and Matt had lived. Where Mello had been raising a _child_. The carpet was stained. The wallpaper was yellowed and peeling. The counter of the kitchen was chipped and cracked and seemed to be permanently tarnished. There was a sofa in the middle of the room that was sagging in the middle and torn on the side. A pillow was at one end and Near assumed this was where Matt slept based on the ashtray on the small table and the multitude of technological equipment. It took Near only six steps to reach the other end of the room where he pushed open another door. The room was just big enough for the futon on the floor and the crib in the corner. Near felt his jaw clench as he looked at the depressing room. "I want everything in this apartment packed and sent to Wammy House," Near ordered, his voice low. "I will take care of it at a later time."

He turned just in time to see relief flash across Rester's face. "So you will be taking the boy to Wammy House." He said it like it was a given. Like there was no other action that Near would be able to take.

 _Don't let him go to an orphanage. Don't place him in Wammy's. The competition destroyed me. Destroyed us. I don't want that for my son._

"No," Near said simply. He frowned as he looked at the bag sitting in the crib. He took a cautious step forward and carefully balanced Isaac against his chest as he used one hand to pull the bag open. Clothes, toys, diapers… Mello had made sure Isaac was ready to go, whether he be going with Matt or Near.

Near swallowed hard around the sudden lump in his throat and grabbed the bag, putting the long strap over his shoulder. "Isaac will be coming with me."

"Sir-"

"I am not discussing this. Have someone come and pack their things." Near didn't wait for a response. He walked into the hallway, waiting for Rester to lock the door, and then made his way out of the building. He placed one hand on the back of Isaac's head, making sure the child was secure and in the least amount of danger he could be in as they walked onto the street. He received various looks as he slid into the car but he was only able to sigh in relief as the door closed behind him.

"Sir, I really think you should think about-"

"I will not."

"Wammy House-"

"Mello did not want his son to be raised at the orphanage," Near said quietly, gazing out the window as the baby slept in his arms. "I will not be going against his wishes."

Rester's mouth snapped closed though Near knew the man was confused. From what he knew, Near did not owe Mello anything. Not after what he had done. But Near wasn't thinking of that Mello. He was thinking of the boy that had sat up with him at Wammy House whenever Near had a nightmare. He was thinking of how Mello pretended not to notice when Near followed him from room to room because he didn't want to be alone. He was thinking about the odd feeling he always had in his stomach when he saw the other boy, even after Mello had only spoke to him in order to yell. He thought of the way he had cried, the first time for many years and the only time since, when Mello had refused to work with him and disappeared from Wammy House.

That was the Mello Near knew.

That was this young child's father.

They pulled up to headquarters and Near ducked his head as they quickly made their way inside. "Rester, please connect to Roger," Near said as he sank onto the floor, still balancing the sleeping child. Rester pursed his lips in disapproval but nodded his head.

"N?" Roger asked as he came on the screen. "Is everything okay?"

"Mello and Matt are dead," Near replied. He watched as grief flickered across the older mans face briefly. Despite what Mello believed, Near knew that Roger had always been fond of the abrasive blonde. Even if he did spend more time in the man's office than the rest of the orphans but together. "I need you to come to Japan as soon as possible. Rester will send you a ticket and pick you up from the airport."

Rogers brows rose in surprise. "N, the children-"

"I need you here," Near replied bluntly. "I am sure you have someone you trust to watch Wammys for the next week. Please be prepared to leave as soon as possible."

Roger did not seem happy but he nodded his head before ending the connection. Rester stared at Near, his hands on his hips. "Does that mean you decided to put the child in Rogers care?"

"No."

"Sir-"

"Our meeting with Kira will go on as planned," Near told Rester as he stroked the child's soft, blond hair. He wondered if that was how Mello's hair would have felt. He had always wanted to try and twist it around his fingers like he did with his own but he knew Mello would not appreciate the gesture. That burning feeling was once again in his throat. "Roger will be here to watch Isaac. If, and only if, things do not go as planned and we do not make it out of the meeting, Roger will take him to Wammy House." He stood slowly as Isaac began to stir in his arms. "Now, I believe we will be needed a few things."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: This is a monster of a chapter! This uses dialogue from the manga but it should be the only chapter in this story that does. Please review and let me know what you think!

Roger arrived the next morning and Near almost felt a moment of pleasure when the older man stopped and stared at Isaac in shock. "Near-" he sputtered, "Wh-what is this?"

Near rose an eyebrow. "As the headmaster of an orphanage, I would assume you would know what a baby looks like."

Roger's mouth snapped shut and he sent a glare in Near's direction. Ah. There was the man Near remembered. "And why do _you_ , of all people, have a baby?"

Near's expression didn't change, he made sure that it didn't, but the words struck something in him. _Him_ of all people? He was the one Mello trusted with his son. He was the one that the other man had gone to, despite their differences. Mello had explicitly stated not to give Isaac to Wammy House. Not to give him to Roger.

Near contemplated telling the man such.

However, this was not the time.

Especially since he was unsure if he could do as Mello requested.

"Isaac is Mello's son," Near said simply, as he flittered his eyes toward the older man and then down toward the city he was currently building. Isaac, who was sitting between Near's legs and leaning against him to keep sitting up, reached out toward one of the robots. Near gently shifted his hand toward one of his own toys.

Roger's mouth dropped open once again and he blinked incomprehensively for a moment. Near, who had grown used to the older man needing a moment to catch up, simply sighed as Isaac gripped onto his finger instead of the toy Near had been offering. He looked back up as Roger sat heavily in a chair that Rester had offered. "Mello… he had a child?!"

"Obviously," Near responded as Isaac lifted his hand toward his mouth. Near gently pulled away, offering the toy once more. The familiar azure blue eyes looked at him, quickly filling with tears, and Near grimaced as he dropped the toy. Isaac, knowing he had won the battle, was fast to reach toward Near's and once more. "My team will be confronting Kira in the next few hours-"

"What?!"

"-and I would appreciate you watching Isaac. I do not want Kira to be aware of his existence."

Roger sucked in a deep breath and nodded his head. "Of course. You do not need to worry about the boy." He seemed to hesitate for a moment before continuing. "If I do not hear from you in a certain amount of time, I will take Isaac with me to-"

"That will not be necessary," Near cut the older man off. "I will return. You do not need to worry."

"If something goes wrong-"

"Nothing will go wrong," Near responded, gently getting to his feet and lifting Isaac in his arms as the boy began to fuss. "It seems that it is time to put Isaac down for a nap. I will return shortly. We will head to the warehouse once I return. Roger," he glanced at the man who was still blinking quickly as he attempted to understand what was happening. "I will show you where his things are located. Please come with me."

Near did not wait for the older man as he made his way into his temporary room where the newly built crib was located. Isaac, who had begun to fall asleep against Near's chest during the short journey, was placed into the crib and Near quickly showed the man where everything was placed within the room. "We will return tonight," Near finished, turning and shuffling toward the door.

"And if you don't?" Roger questioned. "L is dead. Mello is dead," the words seemed to slap Near. He turned sharply as Roger continued, "Matt is-"

"I am well aware of all of those things," Near retorted lowly as he met the man's eyes for the first time in almost six years. "However, Kira will not be victorious in this encounter. We will return. Please watch Isaac."

An hour later found Near sitting in the warehouse, a mask resembling L on his face. He purposely crouched down, mocking L's usual way of sitting. He wanted Kira to regret what he had done. He wanted Kira to realize that killing L was the worst thing he could have possibly done. Killing L had brought his successors into the battle. Killing L had set off Kira's downfall.

Near would make him realize that.

The door opened and the Japanese Taskforce walked into the warehouse. In the lead was Light Yagami. Kira. He saw the young man pause for a moment, surprise flashing in his eyes as he looked at Near for the first time.

"L, those four are the SPK…and the one with the mask is Near. I'm sure of it," Aizawa commented from his place behind Yagami. Near was thankful for the mask. It was able to disguise his eyeroll.

Kira knew who he was.

This wouldn't have been nearly as fun if he didn't.

"Yes," Mogi confirmed. "I was with Near even before he put on the mask. So I assure you, it's him."

Yagami's eyes rested on Near's covered face. "Aizawa, Mogi, whether this is the real Near or not is of no interest to me."

"Wait a minute!" One of the men behind Kira yelled. Matsuda, if Near remembered correctly. He had been of no interest to Near but he was positive that was his name. "I don't care who he accuses of being Kira – but that mask proves that he's trying to protect only himself!"

 _Idiot. That is not the point of this._

"Matsuda," Yagami started, his voice smooth and calm. Near wanted it to break. To crack. He wanted the man to lose that control. "Near thinks I'm Kira so it can't be helped."

"But he was talking so much about seeing you face to face! It doesn't seem fair!"

 _Fair? Kira is not the person to complain about something not being fair. You will understand that soon enough._

"I'm telling you, Near has his own ideas about what's going on here, so it's not going to help if we complain about it. Let's just get on with this."

"This mask is just insurance," Near said, mostly so they could move onto other matters.

"Insurance?"

"I am confident that both Kira and the person being ordered to do the killing, X-Kira, do not know my face," Near explained, giving the idiot the same reason for the mask as he had given the SPK. It would be…uncomfortable for them to know the true reason. At least at the moment. "But there is a possibility that everybody else's face is known to these individuals in question. Of course, this is all assuming that L is Kira…so, since the place and time for our meeting was decided upon three days ago…there is a chance that everyone else's name, excluding mine, may already be written in the notebook to be killed." He tilted his head slightly, keeping his eyes fixated on the fake L. "If that were to happen, only Kira and I would be left and all Kira would have to do is write my name in the notebook that Mr. Aizawa has with him right now. Though it is my hypothesis that the Kira here does not have the ability to kill just from looking at our faces. So please, give me an hour – no, thirty minutes – to be sure that no one here is already marked to die by the notebook." He had originally planned an hour but Isaac had not been factored into that plan. He would admit, he was a bit worried that Roger would disappear with the boy if Near did not return soon enough. Thirty minutes should be enough time to keep them within the plan but it would shorten the amount of time before they returned.

"Wh-what?! So you're waiting to see if we die?!" Matsuda sputtered.

But Yagami cut in, looking downtrodden and resigned. He was manipulating the situation, which did not surprise Near in the slightest. It was the same thing other children at the orphanage tried to do. But, unlike the orphanage, the people in the warehouse seemed to fall for it. "That's okay," Yagami sighed, "We'll let Near do as he likes. If not, we won't be able to clear things up. Near, I believe that you are in fact, the real Near and I care little about the face behind the mask. What I would like to see is what you were going to show me pertaining to the Kira case."

"That can only be revealed to you after I take my mask off," Near replied stoically.

"You can't show the evidence to us unless you take the mask off but you're not going to take it off? Aren't you contradicting yourself?" Matsuda demanded.

 _…how did L work with this simpleton? I almost wish Mello was here just to…_

Near pushed that thought away. No. He was not going to think about Mello at this moment.

"He means that he's going to take it off once he makes sure that everybody remains alive," Yagami explained tiredly. Near almost, almost, felt bad for the man.

"Yes," he agreed.

There was silence after that. Near stared at Yagami as the Japanese taskforce members shifted and glared in his direction. It would have been amusing if it had not been such a dangerous situation. But Near was confident in his plan.

Nothing was going to go wrong.

Finally, Matsuda could not stand the wait any longer. "Near, it's been more than thirty minutes now and nothing has happened!"

"Of course," Yagami commented. "Because Kira isn't here."

Near allowed himself to smirk behind the mask. Yes, this was all happening as he expected. "Very well," he said as he began to take the mask off. "It seems that you are all safe. I'll go ahead and take the mask off then." He dropped the mask to the ground and looked up, meeting Yagami's eyes with his own.

Then he grinned.

It wasn't his grin. No, it was a grin he had practiced in front of the mirror. A grin that matched that of his predecessor.

It was L's grin.

"Okay, so now that you've taken the mask off, what are you going to show us?" The impatient man demanded.

Near was thankful he did not work with him.

"I'm sorry, but you're going to have to wait again."

"Wait again?! What are we waiting for?"

"For the one who'll solve everything to arrive," Near commented, that grin twisting into an amused smirk. His eyes shifted toward the closed door. "I assure you that this person will come, so we must wait. This building is completely sealed. The only way to look inside is to open that door right there. Therefore, this very important person will come through that door or at least try to peak through it."

"Who's going to come?!"

"This meeting was kept a secret from everybody except those who are here right now," Near continued, reaching down to pick up a particular finger puppet. "That's right. So the person coming is X-Kira. Kira's loyal follower who learned about our location from none other than Kira himself." The Japanese taskforce members all looked at the door in hesitation and Near's eyes landed on one member in particular. "Mr. Aizawa. You kept an eye on L even after Takada died, right?" _Takada wasn't the only one that died. But I'm not going to bring that up yet. No, not yet…_

"Yeah."

"Then X-Kira will come. Kira used Takada to contact X-Kira. The night we decided where and when to meet, L met Takada and Takada relayed the information to X-Kira. I am completely sure of this. But Mello's," Near had to force the name through his lips as something in his chest seemed to sting, "kidnapping of Takada was a surprise for both L and myself. With Takada dead, L could no longer contact X-Kira and was unable to call his plan off. Hmm…no, it would be meaningless for him to call everything off. The thought would have never crossed his mind because he did not want to interfere with his plan or mine."

"Why do you assume that L is Kira?!"

"Yeah, if a third party is really going to show up here, isn't it more likely that you're the one behind it all?"

"No," Near responded. How had L and the fake L been able to deal with these people? Near did not like having to constantly explain his train of thought. At least his people took his word for things and tried to put the pieces together themselves. "Because the person we're waiting for is the person currently in charge of carrying out Kira's judgement. So, obviously, this person is coming under Kira's orders."

"Hey, wait a minute!" Matsuda yelled. "If this person is the one doing the killings, do you mean to say they're going to bring the notebook?!"

"Yes," Near responded as he placed his own finger puppet on his other hand. "This person will bring the notebook for sure…and then, looking at my face, will write down my name." Near wondered if he should be flattered by the gasps of horror the taskforce let out.

"So you're going to prove that this person is Kira's henchman by being killed?"

"No, rather by having him _try_ to kill me," Near responded. Honestly, why would he go through all of this just to die in the end? Just to _lose_?

"Wait a minute, Near."

Near sighed inwardly and glanced up. "Yes?"

"If X-Kira is going to kill you, then he or she would need to kill everybody here since we know about the notebook."

Well, at least one of them had a brain. "That's right. It would be the perfect victory for Kira, not to mention the sole reason Kira agreed to this meeting in the first place."

The protests started immediately.

"I – I don't get it. What are you talking about?! That third party is going to bring the notebook here to kill us?"

"And you're asking us to just stand here and watch?!"

"That's right," Near responded.

"That's ridiculous! Then you'll be playing right into Kira's hands! We're going to lose no matter what we do!"

"No," Near answered. "We will win. If you do as I say, we will win without a doubt." He glanced toward the door once more and noticed something different. Oh. "If X-Kira enters through that door, I want you all to let him in. And if that door opens, however slightly, I want you all to pretend not to notice it."

"This is ridiculous!"

"Near, you're making it sound as if you're actually Kira. You're the one who proposed the idea that we all meet here. And now, you're asking everybody to have their names written down in the notebook. It's only natural for us to think that." The man took a deep breath. "But, I'll do what you say."

"Hey! Aizawa, what do you mean? I don't get it!"

"I'm with Aizawa."

",,,Mogi…"

Near wanted to sigh. If they had stopped arguing for just a moment, they would have noticed. "He's already here."

Every eye turned toward the door and Near's expression morphed into a small grin when he saw the flash of triumph in the fake L's eyes.

Oh, so he thought he won, did he?

How interesting.

"I can't just watch! IF this person is really writing our names down then-" Matsuda moved toward the door and Gevanni quickly pulled his gun toward the man.

"Don't move."

"Are you kidding me?!"

"Don't worry, you wont die. Please just be still," Near said to the panicking man. Just watching him was making Near tired. "Even if our names are written down, we wont die. And Kira's identity will finally be revealed."

"H-how can you be sure that we wont die, Near?" Aizawa asked worriedly, his entire body tense. Near had no doubt the man was holding himself back from running toward the door.

"I've tampered with the notebook," Near responded, pleased to see the widening of the taskforce's eyes. Well, most of them. "We managed to get it into our possession and replaced the pages. The person behind the door…the one in charge of the actual killings, has been filling up one page every day, so I just calculated which page would correspond with todays date and replaced all the subsequent pages."

"Replaced/!"

"You got old of it? You actually did that?!"

"The person writing the names down outside will eventually look inside to see if we have all died," Near explained, his eyes now focused on the door. "At which point, we'll seize him and the individual whose name is not written down in the notebook will inevitably be Kira."

"b-but…"

"Y-you're right. The person whose name isn't written down would be Kira," Aizawa agreed.

"To the one outside," Yagami started, the first thing he had said since the conversation began. "Did you write the names down in the notebook?"

Near's eyes narrowed. No one would answer a question such as that. At least, not unless they felt as if the could safely do so. "Yes, I did," the reply came.

Near bowed his head as a smirk crossed his face. Best to not let Kira see his satisfaction. Not yet. "That's strange," he started, getting his expression under control and looking back toward Yagami once more. "Why would he reply in earnest when you asked him if he wrote the names down?"

"Who knows?" Yagami responded coolly. "Maybe he's honest or is confident for some reason? It may even be that he knows your plan."

Near's eyebrows rose at the answer. Well, he certainly was good, wasn't he? "Teru Mikami, why don't you come in here?"

There was no response. The door did not open. As expected.

"Teru Makami? That's right. Stop hiding and come inside," Yagami called.

"Teru Mikami, I know that you're in charge of carrying out Kira's killings right now. You've already written the names down, so there's nothing to be afraid of. Please come in or did Kira order you not to do so?" Near goaded. The door slid open loudly only seconds later and Near fixed his eyes on the prosecutor.

"Your wish is my command, God," the man said.

"How many seconds has it been since you wrote the first name down?" Yagami questioned.

The man looked down at his watch. "thirty-five, thirty-six, thirty-seven, thirty-eight, thi-"

Near met Yagami's eyes and the man's lips twisted into a smirk. "I win, Near."

Near smiled.

"Forty!"

Nothing happened.

Every person in the warehouse seemed to be shock. Near wanted to roll his eyes. He told them they weren't going to die. "We-" Matsuda gasped.

"We're not dead! IT's already been about a minute and we're not dead!"

"I've been telling you that nobody would die," Near sighed, hating that he had to repeat himself.

"Why?!" Mikami roared, staring down at the notebook. "Why won't they die?" The man's eyes shifted up and he stared at Yagami imploringly. "G-God! I did what you told me…"

 _Checkmate._

"Rester, Gevanni, get Mikami," Near ordered and the two men moved quickly to apprehend the man. "Gevanni, the notebook!" Gevanni picked the notebook up as Rester kept Mikami in his grasp. The young man walked toward him and passed the notebook over. "See for yourselves," Near said, turning the notebook to the last page and holding it up for everyone to see. "The first for names are unmistakably the real names of the SPK members and the only name that is missing from this list is Light Yagami. Mikami called you 'God' and said he did as you told him. This proves it."

Yagami stared at Near with wild eyes for a moment before he exploded. "A trap! This is a trap! Near set this whole thing up to frame me! It's impossible that nobody's dead even after their names are written in the notebook! That proves that this is a trap."

 _…dull…_

"But I told you that nobody would die because I replaced the pages."

"W-well, you… it can't be… it's impossible…" Yagami stammered, his eyes wide and panicked. "This is a setup! I don't know this man!"

 _…so very dull…_

Aizawa stepped forward and placed a hand on Yagami's shoulder. "Light," the man said softly. "It's too late. Near wins. A second ago, you said 'I win'. That's as good a confession as any."

Near watched with interest as the Japanese taskforce stared at Yagami in shock and disappointment. Mogi moved forward, a pair of handcuffs in hand, and Yagami lashed out, knocking them from the man's hand. He began to run but tripped over his own feet, landing hard on the ground. He looked over his shoulder at the men still standing over him.

 _This is pathetic._

"Light Yagami, L, Kira…you lose," Near murmured. Yagami snarled in his direction. "You claimed your victory a moment ago and to tell you the truth…you might have actually won. And I might have lost." Yagami snarled again but Near couldn't stop. Not now. He needed Yagami to know. He wanted him to remember. "You had Mikami use a fake notebook and had hi carry it around in front of us so we believed that it was the real thing. You even went so far as to suspect that I would replace the pages in the fake notebook, so that I wouldn't die even if my name was written in it. Things turned out exactly as you had expected and we replaced the pages in the fake notebook." Near's head tilted as Yagami continued to stare at him, completely enraptured. Near supposed he would be the same if he had lost the game. He would want to know how. "That was indeed the plan I had as well. I replaced the pages of the notebook that happened to be a fake and you had Mikami bring the real notebook out for the first time to kill all of us. That was your plan. But when I said, 'I replaced the pages in the notebook', I meant in the real one as well. Meaning that I tampered with both the fake and the real notebooks. I replaced only a part of the fake notebook and replaced the pages of the real notebook completely." Near reached into his loose top and pulled out the notebook that had been pressing against his chest. "This is the real notebook."

Near had the pleasure of watching Yagami's eyes widen in shock before he continued. "Gevanni did it overnight. Whether he was able to replace all of it or not was the key to this plan. He did replace a part of the fake notebook with ease, but it was quite difficult to make a forged copy of the real entire one. Gevanni promised me, however, that it could be done. He used the same pen that Mikami used, copied Mikami's handwriting to perfection, and even made a perfect copy of the cover in addition to the interior pages. Since I had already touched the notebook beforehand, I could see the Shinigami from the moment you entered this warehouse. Mr. Shinigami, nice to meet you. I'm Near," he said, finally looking the Shinigami in the eye as he had been wanting to do since the taskforce stepped in.

"Hyuk, hyuk, nice to meet you. I'm Ryuk."

Near's lips twisted up at the introduction. "Ryuk, until today, I always believed that Shinigami had skulls for faces and carried sickles," he said conversationally.

"Hyuk, well, there are ones like that too."

Near nodded. Interesting. "I looked through this notebook and found some pages that were clipped out. Can it be that people die even if you write names on pages that have been cut out?"

"Yeah, they'll die."

Near put the notebook on the ground and peered at the torn pages. He knew Mello would not have let Takada keep an entire notebook on her. And, considering the notebook was in Near's possession, that made sense. But a piece of the notebook was easily concealed. Near had poured over the notebook the night before. Mello's name was not in it.

So that was how he died.

"Even pieces are effective," Near said slowly. "I'm sure there must have been many uses for that. I can't even begin to think of how many people were killed and deceived because of that." Near looked up once more and pointed toward the man still lying on the floor. "Light Yagami, you are Kira." Near could see Yagami's mind working frantically, trying to figure out just how Near had been able to work all of this out. He probably thought someone had betrayed him.

Near was not about to let Mello's sacrifice go to waste. "You're wrong. I owe this to Mello," Near gently lifted the Mello puppet. "I'm sure you understand what I mean by that." He lifted the notebook once more. "Look at the page before and the page I just turned to. This is the fake notebook we created. But it is exactly the same as the real one. The first line of the page on the left…"

Yagami looked at the words and furiously turned toward Mikami. "I-if Takada is in a situation like that, then it's my job to…" the man tried to defend. Kira snarled.

"That's right. When Mello kidnapped Takada, Mikami took out the real notebook," Near revealed. "The one he had hidden in a safe deposit box at the bank and wrote Takada's name down. After Takada's kidnapping was announced on the news, Mikami headed for the bank. October 25th was a Sunday so he went on the 26th, but my research shows that in August, September, November, and December, he went to the bank on the 25th. Mikami lives a completely fixed life but just as Takada was kidnapped, he suddenly went to the bank two days in a row. TO be honest, I only thought about the possibility of the notebook being fake after Gevanni told me about this. Come to think of it, we should have suspected when Mikami used the notebook in public and talked to himself about 'not having a Shinigami'. The fact that we found out about Mikami so quickly actually worked against us. Until then, we were completely tricked by you, Takada, and Mikami and had replaced the pages in the fake notebook. So we actually would have lost if I hadn't found out."

Near swallowed hard and continued the next part of the story. "When Mikami kidnapped Takada, you were no longer able to get in contact with Mikami. But Mikami still made his move for you, to perfection, in his role as Kira's stand-in. His overt adoration sense of responsibility and perfect and his intelligence worked against him this time. It wasn't difficult for us to sneak into the safe deposit room and crack it. It was an old fashioned safe at a local bank. Also, since you allowed us to look through Mikami's bag when he was at the gym, we already had made copies of all his keys and cards."

"That's right" Gevanni cut in, "It was an easy task to open that safe. Inside was a notebook and Takada's name was written in it."

Near looked at Gevanni over his shoulder, "Even an idiot would figure out everything from there. This is very interesting…int the fake notebook, the one we replaced the pages of first, one page was filled in with names every day. But the real one jumps from November 25th to January 26th, when Takada's name was written down. That means that you had Mikami walk around with the fake notebook starting tow months in advance to trick us. Before January 26th, the time of death wasn't specified, same as in the fake notebook. But after Takada's name was written, all the judgements for January 26th were set to the early house of the 27thand the Judgments for the 27th were set to the early hours of the 28th. In the fake notebook that Mikami made, Takada's name is probably written down exactly like this, but the rest of the page is only names, with no times written down to set the time of death. This means that when Mikami wrote Takada's name in the real notebook on the 26th, he also wrote the names of those people who were to be brought to justice on the 26th and 27th. Mikami could have killed the people using the scraps from the notebook. But if he wrote on them in his house, assuming we had installed a camera, we might have found out about the fake notebook and the fact that you can kill people even with just a piece of the notebook. In order to make Mikami's fake notebook look real, you probably cut the pages out of the real one and hanged them to Takada and had her actually do all the killings. All Mikami had to do was to send a list of people to be killed via cellphone or computer and then delete the data. For the deaths on the 26th and 27th, you might have had him send a list of people to Takada after she was kidnaped, but just in case. Mikami wrote those names down too when he wrote Takada's name. As for the 28th, today's killings would be at our leisure, since it would have been after you killed us. So, though it's nothing I would have taken notice of under normal circumstances, if you look closely, there aren't any killings of new criminals on the 26th or 27th and that's because Miami was not allowed to take the notebook out until today. Well, according to your plan, Light Yagami."

Near locked eyes with the older man. "Mikami should have taken the notebook out until today no matter what. And though I don't know who was first, this means that you killed Takada, too. If the scraps of the notebook can be used to kill people, it is hard to believe that you wouldn't have had one on you. Because you killed her too, the announcement of Takada's death was reported on the news quickly. And since Mikami also knew of her death, you wouldn't have assumed that Mikami made a move on his own." Near raised an eyebrow, "Too bad. When Mello kidnapped Takada, Mikami wrote her name down in the real notebook as well." Near's jaw clenched before he continued. "For both you and me, having Mikami write our names down on the page on the right was the plan. We had to do that, if not, we wouldn't have been able to capture Mikami, get the notebook from him, or take a look at the notebook. Whether the page on the left was filled with names or note, it had to be the page on the right. And you tried to kill us by having us replace the pages of the fake notebook and having Mikami bring the real one here but we went a step ahead of you by having Mikami bring a fake version of the real notebook. It's a lot harder to find out that the notebook has been switched if you replace the whole notebook rather than just a part of it."

Near took a deep breath and ducked his head. From the corner of his eye, he saw Yagami pulling himself to his feet but he knew that his people and the taskforce would be watching him carefully. However, Near couldn't let Kira or any of them see the broken expression on his own face as he said his next explanation. "Of course, this is in large part due to Gevanni and Rester, who duplicated it in one day. But the biggest thanks goes to the one who created this situation. Mello." Near swallowed hard, his mind thinking of the message he received from the blond and then of what he had left behind.

"Mello may have known about it," Lidner said. Near turned his head slightly toward the woman, his hands clenching at his sides. "I told Mello that Near was talking about bringing an end to the case with his own hands. At first, I thought he meant 'I'm going to bring the case to an end before Near' but if Mello hadn't made his move, then we would all have…"

A flash of anger overtook Near. He had been the one to tell Lidner to leak information to Mello, but only information that wouldn't hurt the SPK or Mello himself. She had gone against his orders and given information that she knew Mello would have used. Information that Mello had taken and given his life for.

"The fact that we replaced the pages in the notebook and that notebook happened to be a fake," Near started, drawing one leg up and pressing his forehead against his knee in an effort to stop himself from shaking as anger washed through his body. "I find it hard to believe that Mello thought that far ahead. But," he slowly reached out and picked up the Mello doll once again. "I am sure that he was always trying to get ahead of me and that's not all…" Near took a deep breath, "Even if he didn't surpass me, even if he didn't…" Near paused as his throat began to burn. He had to do this. He could not break. Not now. "Even if he didn't, Mello always said he was going to be number one and that he was going to be better than me and L. But I always knew that I would never be able to surpass L. It could be that I lack the action and he lacked the calm and even though we could surpass the one we admired on our own, together we can stand with L. Together we can surpass L. And now we are facing Kira, whom L could find no proof against, the very Kira whom L was defeated by. Facing Kira with solid evidence before his very eyes." Near lifted his head and met Yagami's eyes. "Let's see you talk your way out of this one."

That was when Light Yagami finally broke.

Maniacal laughter echoed throughout the warehouse as Yagami sank down to his knees. "That's right, I am Kira," the man said, the usually smooth voice harsh and dark. The man slowly pulled himself to his feet and turned toward Near. "So now what?" he sneered. "Are you going to kill me right here? Listen, I'm Kira and the God of the new world."

 _…oh, how I wish Mello was here to listen to this. He was always so furious when I disparaged God. This would make him furious…_

"In this world, I am the law…" Near couldn't help but tune out as Yagami began to lecture them about his position in society. He listened with half an ear as Yagami continued, letting the man run out of steam before he responded.

"No," he was finally able to say. "You are just a murderer. And the notebook here is the worst murder weapon in the history of mankind. If you had been a normal person and had used this notebook once out of curiosity, you would have been surprised and scared of what had happened. Regretted what you would have done and never used this notebook again. To speak of extremes I can actually understand those who would use this notebook for their persona l interests and kill a couple of people and even think that they're normal. But you have yielded to the power of the notebook and Shinigami and have confused yourself with a God…You're just a crazy mass murderer. Nothing more and nothing less."

"Near, you're wrong. I'm the icon of justice now."

Near closed his eyes. "You may be right. Nobody can tell what is right and what is wrong. What is righteous and what is even. Even if there is a God and I had his teachings before me, I would think it through and decide if that was right or wrong myself." Near opened his eyes and turned his head. "I'm no different from you. I believe in what I think is right and what I believe to be righteous. You are no God. And I feel that the whole idea of you setting the path for all the people to follow is neither peaceful nor righteous. And anybody who claims to be god and kills people from left to right is definitely evil by my standards. But what do the other people here, besides you and me, feel is righteous?"

There was silence for just a moment and then Yagami spoke. "Near, you first thought this fake notebook made by Mikami was the real one and replaced the pages in it. And Mikami had the fake notebook that you made. In other words, both notebooks turned out to be fakes when both sides believed them to be real. And the mistake made by both sides was that they didn't test the notebook to see if it was real or not. So how can you be sure that the notebooks here are real?"

Near's eyes narrowed. Was it possible that the other notebook was fake as well? Could Yagami have traded the cover of the real notebook for a fake? Did Near need to touch the pages of the real notebook to be able to see the Shinigami or just the cover?

"The notebook you have with you right now and the notebook Aizawa brought down from the Japanese investigation headquarters, are they real? You already see Ryuk, so let's just say that the notebook you have is real. But the notebook Aizawa has was kept at headquarters where I had access to it. I could have switched it. And if I switched it, then I'm the only one who knows it's whereabouts." Near's eyes narrowed. Was it possible? Or was this just an attempt for Yagami to buy himself time? A way to guarantee he wouldn't be killed? "That's right, if you really want to defeat Kira, then you should write my name or Miami's name in Aizawa's notebook to see if that notebook is real."

 _…ah. I see._

 _So dull._

"Light Yagami, Kira, I have no plans to kill you," Near informed the man. "I really don't care if the notebook is real or note anymore. From the very beginning, my goal was to capture Kira. All I want is for everything o become clear and for Kira to be captured. You're as good as arrested now and I'll confiscate the notebook Mr, Aizawa has. That is enough. For now. And I will not announce Kira's arrest or the existence of the notebook to the public. I believe that everybody here can keep that a secret. I'll take full responsibility for locking you up in a place where nobody will find you until you die."

Things happened quickly after that. Light Yagami made a move toward his watch, opening a secret compartment and revealing a strip of paper. "He's got a note hidden on him!" Rester yelled.

Then there was a gunshot.

Near's head snapped to the side. The idiot. Matsuda had just shot Yagami. "You idiot! Who do you think you're shooting, Matsuda?! Damn you!" Yagami roared, all decorum completely gone. "If you're going to shoot someone, shoot the others! What do you think you're doing?!"

More yelling. Yagami attempting to write a name on the strip of paper in his own blood. Another gunshot. "I have to kill him!" Matsuda yelled as Yagami fell backwards. "This guy has to die!"

"Stop it Matsuda!"

Another gunshot.

More yelling.

And Near was done.

"Since he had that piece carefully hidden in his watch, he probably doesn't have any more," Near said to Aizawa. The man nodded in acknowledgement.

"Mogi, Ide, help me arrest Kira, Light Yagami, the mass murderer."

Yagami was screaming, trying to get those he had used in the past to help him now. But there was no one left to help him.

He was on his own.

He had lost.

The game was over.

"It's finally over," Rester said at Near's side.

"Yes," Near agreed as Yagami crawled toward the door. He knew the man would not last long. Especially not with the Shinigami going after him. Near had no doubt that Light Yagami would be dead within the next hour.

"What are we going to do now?" Rester questioned.

Near reached up and twirled a piece of hair around his finger as a pair of azure eyes flashed in his mind. "The notebooks will be destroyed. Life will go on." He pushed himself to his feet. "Contact me if there are any other issues. I will return to headquarters."

"Near-"

"There is somewhere I need to be, Rester," Near said bluntly, ignoring the way those still in the room were staring at him in confusion and shock. "There are things more important at the moment then the shell that was once Light Yagami."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Please review!

Things happened quickly after that. Near did not have it announced that Kira had been captured (well, killed, he supposed) but people realized pretty quickly that something had happened. Just as Near had said, crime once again began to rise and Kira's legacy seemed to be forgotten within a few months. Oh, there were still those that proclaimed that Kira would return. But as crime rates rose and no one died from heart attacks, the truth was revealed.

Kira was gone.

In light of that, the SPK was officially disbanded. Lidner was the first to leave. After Mello's death, which Near could not help but hold her partly responsible for, she had been uncomfortable and sad whenever Near was around. Especially with Isaac. As soon as the SPK was disbanded, Lidner grabbed her things and left.

Gevanni was next. He waited a couple of weeks but he followed after Lidner soon enough. Commander Rester refused to leave. Near had been surprised when the man questioned if he still had a place working with Near. Like Near was L's successor, Wammy was also supposed to have a successor. Near wondered, for the first time, who that person was supposed to be. He asked Roger, only to see the man's face fall. That was when Near knew.

Matt.

There was no successor. Roger had expected to take the responsibility now that the Kira case was completed but Near knew the man didn't truly want it. As much as he disliked his current position at Wammy House, he was comfortable there. And Near trusted him there.

He wasn't sure he trusted him to become his Watari.

When Rester asked if he had a position with Near, Near agreed. Rester, from that moment on, would be Near's Watari and the face of L.

And Near trusted the man to help him with Isaac.

Which, he found, had become very high on his priority list.

That was how Near found himself sitting in Wammy House, three months after Kira's defeat. He was sitting on the floor in front of Roger's desk, a position that brought forbidden memories to mind. The last time he had been here, Mello had been standing next to him as Roger told them about L's death. This time, Mello's eight-month old son was sitting in front of Near, babbling to himself as he held up his robot for Near to look at. Rester was sitting in the chair in front of Roger's desk.

"So, you're saying there are various properties that could be used?"

"Yes," Roger responded, flipping through the papers on his desk. "While L would work from his primary residence most of the time, he liked to have a residence on site if he had a particularly difficult case or if he wanted Watari on site. He owned a worksite in places he worked with on more than one occasion and a few in prominent cities around the world. If you are sure you do not want to stay at Wammy House," Roger looked down at Near, clear disapproval on his features, "then I suggest you look through these options. Most of them are already equipped with items to meet your needs."

Near nodded and Rester took the documents from Roger. He flipped through them slowly, his eyes sliding over the information listed. "Near, the boy-"

"Is not staying at Wammy House."

Roger sighed. "Near, you could be travelling often. Do you really think it would be a good environment for Isaac?"

"Isaac will be staying with me," Near replied bluntly and a bit more harshly than he intended. Isaac whined a bit, turning his head and looking up at Near with watery eyes. Near forced himself to relax and he turned his lips up slightly. Isaac let out a loud wail and Near instantly picked the boy up, cuddling him against his chest. "You're okay," Near murmured as he patted the boy on the back. He glared up at Roger. "He's coming with me."

Roger sighed deeply but nodded his head. "Then I suggest the property in London. It is close enough that I can be of assistance if needed. And you are welcome to bring Isaac here whenever you go on location."

Near hesitated but he knew a compromise when he heard one. He nodded his head and Isaac began to settle down, leaning his head against Near's shoulder and closing his eyes. He had probably worn himself out and needed a nap. Near glanced up at the clock. "We will be going to the London residence tomorrow. For now, I think it best that I retire."

Rester and Roger both nodded and Near stood carefully, trying to keep Isaac asleep. He walked out of Roger's office and had an almost unstoppable urge to turn right. Right led to the orphan's rooms. Right led toward the classrooms. Right was where Near had spent years of his life.

Left was off limits. Left was L's domain.

Near turned left.

He would never admit it to anyone, but his hand was a little shaky as he pushed through the doors. He let out a deep breath and slowly walked down the hall that looked remarkably like the hall for the dorm rooms. His socked feet walked across the familiar wood as he pushed open the first door on the right. Ah, a kitchen. That explained why none of the orphans ever saw L in the main dining area. He let the door closed and moved toward the door a bit further down the hall, on the left. It was a library. Near blinked in surprise. He had not expected L to have had his own private library. He would have to look through it later, maybe while Isaac was taking a nap.

He reluctantly stepped back into the hallway and moved to the next door. Ah. This had to be the main investigation room, judging by the line of tables with multiple monitors and other systems. Near moved on, finally finding a bedroom. A familiar coat was perched on the bed and Near quickly closed the door. Watari's room. Rester's room. A room that had once belonged to Wammy.

Suddenly, he didn't want to find L's room.

 _His_ room.

He stood, frozen in the hallway, until Isaac began to move in his arms. He tightened his hold and stepped up to the last door. He pushed it open and took a hesitant step in. He knew that Roger had arrived almost a month before they had and he said he had prepared the rooms. He knew that Rester himself had become familiar with their quarters earlier that day while Near met with Roger.

But, somehow, he had this horrible feeling that he would be trespassing on L's domain as soon as he walked into the room that had previously belonged to the man.

He felt almost an overwhelming relief to see that the room was white, with a twin bed pushed against the far wall with white blankets. On the other wall was a white crib with a blood red blanket.

The blanket Near had specifically told Rester to take from Mello's apartment.

It was a shock of red in the otherwise white room. Near slowly approached the crib and placed the sleeping baby inside, on top of the blanket. He gently placed a softer blanket on top of Isaac and sighed as he stepped back.

It was fine to stay here a night. It would be fine to come here if they needed to do so. For Near to watch the orphans to find his own successor. Isaac would be safe and Near could easily keep him away from the competition he and Mello had been in as they were growing up. Just like Mello had requested.

He watched the sleeping baby for just a moment, wondering if Mello would approve with how he was raising his son. Near knew he would be proud of him. He was learning quickly and, based on the books Near had studied the last couple of months, was well above where he should be when it came to milestones. He had pulled himself to his feet almost two months ago, much to the shock of Rester, and was actively crawling. Near sighed as he imagined Mello, and Matt's, excitement if they had seen such a thing. With how they were so exuberant they were when they were enthusiastic about something.

He wished Isaac would have been able to experience that excitement.

Near shook his head and turned to leave the room. He might as well check out that library.


	5. Chapter 5

The residence L had in London was nothing like Near expected it to be. It was on the top floor of a building, which _didn't_ surprise Near, and neither did the extravagant security system. What did surprise him was the…homey feel to the rooms. From what Near knew of L, he had been an orphan since he was a child, much like Near and many of the other orphans from Wammy House. And, though they had the freedom to decorate their rooms the way they wanted, Wammy House was not what Near would consider to be homey.

Near wouldn't have even known where to start.

But maybe he was in the minority.

He remembered the apartment Mello was sharing with Matt. He remembered the soft, lived in furniture. The toys and blankets, the items thrown about the room. Even at the orphanage, Near's room had always been clean and…clinical. White. He remembered Mello coming into his space once when they were young, Near believed he was about ten, and Mello told him that his room was dead.

Near had always wondered about that. How could a room be dead? It was just a space.

Now, he was beginning to understand.

It was strangely reminiscent of L's rooms at Wammy House but at the same time, this was worse.

Because they hadn't cleaned L's things out before they moved in.

Near stood in the open doorway at what had to have been L's room whenever he lived in the London house. There was a dark blue bedspread on the bed. Blue. Oak furniture stood around the room and there were various knick-knacks on the tops of the dressers. It was a room that was made to look lived in, even if L wasn't present and hadn't been present for a long time.

Of course, there was also a thick layer of dust on everything.

Near scrunched up his nose but stepped into the room. If the area was made to look lived in, it was only logical to think…he pulled open the dresser and saw various items of clothing. So he was correct.

He stood there, staring down at the clothing. It was L's. Jeans. White shirts. Rester had told Near to find L's room so they could set up Near's things.

He didn't want to be here.

With determination swelling in his chest, Near pushed the drawer shut and turned on his heel, walking into the hallway. He shut the door behind him and let out a deep breath. Alright. From what he saw on the information of the residence, there was three bedrooms. Rester would have one. L's room was another. And he had been planning on making the third bedroom into a nursery.

Perhaps he and Isaac could share a room for the time being.

They would be doing so at Wammy House. It wouldn't be remis to think they could do the same here.

Mello had been sharing a room with Isaac. Surely he wouldn't have had any problems with Near doing so.

Near quickly made his way to the room in question as he tried to push thoughts about Mello into the background. It was something he had been doing often the past few months. He was constantly asking himself if this is what Mello would have wanted for his son. Near had been adamant that Isaac was not to stay at Wammy House, nor was he to go to any other orphanages, but… but was Near truly the best person to be taking care of him? Mello had assumed that Matt would survive. He had wanted _Matt_ to raise his son and had asked Near to help him. How many times had Mello told Near that he was an emotionless robot? How many times had he chastised Near, before things went bad between them, because of the way he treated others and 'played his games' with them?

Was he really the right person to be raising a child?

Especially Mello's child.

Or maybe it was the other way around.

Maybe the reason he _could_ do this was because Isaac was Mello's son.

"Near, you need to look through the casefiles that have been sent to L," Rester said as Near walked into the main room. "There are many police precincts and even a few governments requesting your help."

Near glanced to the side and saw Isaac was in the playpen, right where he had left him. Seeing he was fine, Near slid into the computer chair and opened the files Rester had sent to him. There really were more than he had expected. Crime had risen drastically when it became obvious that Kira was no longer punishing those that had done wrong and it seemed as if the police officers of the world had been…spoiled during those years. More and more cases were going unsolved and it seemed that they all expected that L would solve the cases for them.

L had had the privilege of being able to pick the cases that he found interesting and only take those.

Near, who was living in the post Kira world, needed to do as many as he could.

And not just because he had dumped all of the money L had left him off the side of the SPK Headquarters to escape from a mob.

A rise of unsolved crimes would lead to riots. They would lead to Kira supports causing trouble. And, truthfully, Near couldn't guarantee another Kira wouldn't appear. If another Shinigami got the idea to drop their Death Note and another human picked it up, it wouldn't be difficult for them to connect the pieces and realize how Kira had done what he had. Then they could pick right back up where Kira had left off.

If cases went unsolved and the people began to riot, began to throw their lot in behind a dead faux God, when another appeared, they would follow him.

Near needed to make sure that wouldn't become a possibility.

He just…needed to find time to solve all that he could.

With another glance at Isaac, Near sighed before getting to work.


	6. Chapter 6

Near could only stare, his eyes wide and his heart pounding in his chest. Isaac was giggling and babbling away, clapping his hands together happily from where he was sitting on the floor.

He might be sitting now, but he was up just a moment before.

Isaac had just taken his first steps.

"I- oh," Near mumbled, unsure of what he was supposed to do. "You…wow, Isaac," Near said through the sudden burning in his throat. "You – wow." All of his intelligence, his extensive vocabulary, all of it seemed to disappear at that moment. What was he supposed to do? Say? Would Isaac even remember whatever he did now?

What would Mello do?

His son had just taken his first steps. His son was giggling. He was happy.

Mello would be happy. He would be ecstatic.

Near could…try to do something similar.

"Isaac, that was so good," Near said, awkwardly but with a smile on his face. He sank down to his knees and held out his arms. "Can you come to me?" Isaac, still laughing, looked at Near's open arms for a moment in incomprehension before his entire face lit up and his azure eyes sparkled. He reached out toward the table and gripped it with his tiny hand, pulling himself slowly to his feet. He lifted his foot and took a shaky step toward Near. The second foot came down and Near saw what was going to happen before it did. Isaac started to fall, face first, and he swept in, pulling the small boy into his arms and against his chest. Isaac yelled out happily and clapped his hand against Near's cheek. Near's lips twisted up and he turned his head, pretending as if he was going to eat the young boys' fingers. Isaac squealed and pulled his hand away.

"Near? Everything alright?" Rester asked, walking into the room with a frown on his face. His expression relaxed when he saw the giggling Isaac in Near's arms.

Near nodded his head. "Isaac just took his first steps," he said softly. He settled back on his heels and placed the small boy back on his feet. "Can you show Rester, Isaac? Do you want to see Rester?"

The older man's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Near didn't blame him. Isaac was young to be walking, just as he had been young to sit up on his own and pull himself to his feet. "Come on, Isaac," Rester said a moment later when he crouched down and awkwardly opened his arms. Isaac giggled and took a step forward, almost propelling himself into the older man. Rester smiled and held him close. "Good job!"

He placed the boy back on the floor and Isaac instantly moved to return to Near. Near was quick to hold onto the boy before he fell. "We might need to do some more babyproofing," he sighed as he glanced around the room. "Now that he's walking…"

"It will take some time before he's steady on his feet," Rester said as he stood. "I will work on it." He looked at Isaac hesitantly for a moment before continuing. "The US has requested our help with an investigation."

"Have they?" Near asked mildly, though his lips twitched. The United States had not contacted L or asked for his help since they had disbanded the SPK. Near had made it clear just how spineless he thought their actions were during the Kira case and the country had veered away from asking for his help until now.

He should have known it wouldn't last long.

"What is it that they need?"

"Serial murder case that they think might be connected to a string of mafia-"

"No."

Rester sighed. "Near, you can't-"

"I have stated more than once that I will not be dealing with the Mafia." He did not want to. Mello had run away from Wammy House and used his late parent's connections to join the mafia. Near might not know the full circumstances of Isaac's birth, but he did not want the Mafia to be aware of the boys existence.

"Someone is giving information on mafia members to the police. The informant has given enough evidence that many of the main members are being-"

"I do not care. Now, is there any evidence to support the serial murders are connected?"

"…no. I believe that they just believed it to be odd that the informant appeared at the same time that the killings started."

"Then I will look into the murders. Will you be alright watching Isaac?"

"Of course."

Near nodded and leaned over, pressing his lips against the boy's hair softly before getting to his feet. He spent the next three hours looking at the case information and accessing the police database. By the end of the initial investigation, he was beyond irritated. Yet again, the police seemed to be unable to adequately complete their jobs.

And this time, Near would have to uproot a young child in order to fix it.

"Rester, please prepare everything so we can leave first thing in the morning. Did L have a property in Los Angeles?"

"There is a property."

"We will be staying there. I will get things prepared for Isaac."

Rester's eyebrows rose. "Will we be taking him to Wammy House?"

"No."

It was clear that Rester did not approve of his decision but Near did not wait around for the argument. He just stood, picked Isaac up, and moved toward their shared room to pack.

The flight was…difficult. Isaac was not happy about being on a plane again, especially now that he was used to being able to move around often, and it wasn't a short ride. By the time they finally landed, Isaac was not the only person completely exhausted. Near had not managed to get a nap on the plane, even when Isaac was sleeping, as he kept repeating the case information over in his head.

And he was trying to ignore the fact that they were going to LA.

Had Mello taken care of his old living quarters? Near was sure that if he hadn't, there was no longer anything left. Near felt guilty somehow, like he should have checked earlier. If there had been any other items that he could have saved for Isaac, Near would forever have that lingering sense that he had done something wrong.

The apartment was reminiscent of their home in London. There was the same equipment, there were items of both Wammy and L in the bedrooms. The only difference was that there was not another room. Which meant that there was not another option than to use the room that had once belonged to his mentor. Near probably would have tried to find another solution but the cranky, crying boy in his arms made him push the door open and pull the covers back on the bed. They would need to get a crib soon but, for now, this would have to work. He placed Isaac in the middle of the bed and lined some pillows up on the sides – just in case the boy tried to get down on his own and Near wasn't there to stop him – then stumbled out into the main living room. He sank onto the couch and curled up, ready to take his own nap.

"Near?"

"Please alert the police that we have arrived and set up a meeting for this afternoon," Near said sleepily as he closed his eyes. "I believe they have more information on paper than they do in the database. Retrieve it."

"Go into the bedroom, Near. I will wake you before the meeting."

"Isaac's there."

"There is another room."

"That's Watari's-"

"You are not sleeping on the couch. Go."

Near, too tired to argue and knowing the other man would not give up until he had his way, sighed and slowly got to his feet. He didn't look at Rester as he shuffled into the bedroom and fell onto the bed. He was out before he had fully registered the door closing as Rester left for the police station.

He woke up an indeterminant amount of time later to Isaac crying. Pushing through his sleep addled brain, Near forced himself out of bed and into the room across the hall. Isaac was sitting up in the bed, wailing loudly. His eyes landed on Near and he began to grow louder, holding his arms out toward the familiar figure. "Did you wake up alone?" Near yawned, reaching down to pick the boy up. "Were you confused about where you were? Sorry. I thought you'd sleep longer," Near said, still blinking the sleep from his eyes.

The sound of a door opening made Near's eyes shoot toward the clock on the bedside table. It was early afternoon and Rester should have been staying at the station until after their conference. Had something happened? He quickly moved toward the living room. "Commander Rester? Did something happen?" He stepped into the room and caught sight of a familiar figure. Then he froze.

That wasn't Rester.

Blond hair. Azure eyes. Scar across his face…

"Mello?"


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Really, really short chapter. Hope you enjoy!

Near could only stare. This…this couldn't be possible. The barn had burned. Lidner had said there was no possible way that Mello made it out alive. It had been months since then, months in which Near was raising Mello's son.

He couldn't be standing in front of him now.

It didn't make any sense.

Could he…could he be hallucinating? Was he that overworked? He had got at least an hour of sleep…it couldn't be because of that. He had eaten recently as well. There were some psychological diagnoses that showed up in young adult males…perhaps such a thing was happening to him?

A few years ago, he would have rolled his eyes at the thought. Especially at the thought that he would hallucinate Mello, out of everyone. But now…now after months of not hearing from the older man, of knowing that he wasn't out there…now Near felt differently. Especially since he could see Mello in Isaac every single day.

Near's arms tightened at the thought and Isaac let out a loud squeal. Instantly, whatever spell in the room was broken. Near turned his eyes toward the unhappy boy in his arms, instantly shushing him as the tears fell down his face. From the corner of his eye, Near watched as the hallucination moved forward, its arms outstretched. Near instinctively moved back, eyeing the thing warily. It stopped and the facial expression took on a familiar glare.

This wasn't _fair_. It was easier to remember this thing wasn't real when there was an open, somewhat hesitant expression on its face. But now, now with that look…

Near almost believed it was real.

He _wanted_ to believe it was real.

"Near-"

"You aren't real," Near said instantly, shaking his head and holding Isaac close to his chest. "Mello died. You are not Mello."

The thing's eyebrows rose. "And what am I? A hallucination? Near, how much sleep have you been getting?"

Near frowned and bounced Isaac up and down in an effort to calm the quietly crying boy. "Mello is dead."

"I'm not," Mello said calmly. Much too calmly. Near had never seen him so calm.

So…did that make it more plausible he didn't exist?

"The mafia was hunting me," Mello finally said, a frown pulling at his face as he glanced down at Isaac. "Matt and I came up with a plan. We knew that Takada would try to kill me and I was able to catch her before she wrote my name on the piece of Death Note she had. I then told her to contact Kira and let him know that she had killed me. I didn't expect him to kill her…" Mello trailed off for a moment but shrugged his shoulders. "She lit the barn on fire and I barely managed to get out. But it fell right in with what Matt and I planned. The original plan was for me to fake my death and Matt would take Isaac until I could come back. With your help, I knew nothing would be able to touch him. But then Matt was killed," Near watched as Mello's hands tightened into fists, "and I sent that email to you. If Matt hadn't died, you would have never seen it. I didn't _expect_ you to see it. But I knew that you would do as I asked and take care of my son. I _knew_ you would."

Near's lips pinched. Mello knew no such thing. Near could have easily handed the boy over to Roger. Mello had no reason to think otherwise…and to know that Mello had just planned on disappearing without a word to Near. Matt would have just come to Near on his own, with Mello's child in tow.

"I had to do some cleanup," Mello continued. "And I had to stay low until it was safe for me to be out. Safe for Isaac. I trusted you to take care of my son, Near. Until I could return and-"

"And take him away," Near said, fury building in his chest at the thought. Mello had left Isaac, he had _abandoned_ his son, and then just expected to be able to return whenever he wanted. What would happen the next time Mello's past threatened his son? Would he just hand Isaac off to the next person that came along? No. Near was not going to let that happen. "He has been doing well without Mello. Mello can leave now."

"You can't just keep my son, Near!"

"Mello is the one that left. Mello can deal with the consequences," Near snapped back, turning on his heel and walking into the bedroom, making sure to slam the door behind him.


	8. Chapter 8

Near was on the floor, reading softly to Isaac who was sitting between his legs. The book was held in front of the younger boy and Isaac was laughing as he reached toward the colorful pictures. Near's lips twitched at the toddler's laughter. It was a good distraction, a way to turn his mind away from the thought that Mello was most likely still somewhere in the apartment. Near was honestly surprised that he hadn't stormed into the bedroom yet. The Mello he knew wasn't one for waiting. He gave into his emotions, he didn't hesitate to act on them.

And yet, Near was still sitting in here with Mello's son.

Which just showed him how much Mello cared about the boy.

The smile fell and Near's voice took on a more vicious tone. Isaac's laughter stopped and he turned to look up at Near with a pout on his face. Near stopped speaking and sighed, raising one hand to press it against his eyes. Isaac was sensitive to Near's moods, something that had been proven over and over again the last few months, and Near had to make a conscious effort to let the negative emotions fade away. He had just managed to do so when there was a slow knock on the door. Near's head snapped around. "Yes?"

The door slowly opened and Near stood, taking a protective step in front of Isaac. He hadn't needed to worry. Rester stepped fully into the room and closed the door firmly behind him. "There is a ghost going through L's emails," the man said, his lips pursed in displeasure. "Should I banish it?"

Near rolled his eyes but his brows furrowed. "He is looking through L's emails?" he asked, not waiting for Rester's response before maneuvering around the older man and moving toward where Mello was sitting. The older man was lounging in Near's chair, his right hand resting on the mouse while his left hand had a chocolate bar against his lips. His eyes quickly swept over whatever he was reading on the screen before he moved the mouse toward the delete button.

"What is Mello doing?"

"Wondering why the hell you're keeping emails about cases you'll never accept," Mello answered plainly, deleting yet another message.

Near's lips tightened. "Mello does not know that. It is possible that-"

"I want to see my son, Near," Mello said, turning in the chair. His azure eyes were hard and his hand tight around the candy. "You're angry. I get it. But Isaac is _my son_."

"Mello left-"

"I had to!" Mello snapped, pushing himself to his feet. "It was the hardest thing I ever had to do! But I had to keep him safe! Can't you fucking understand that?!"

Near sucked in a deep breath. There it was. There was the Mello he knew. "I want him safe as well. Even if that includes keeping him away from you."

The two stared at each other, both of them unwilling to back down on their stance.

And then Rester was in between them with Isaac in his arms.

"You are to stay in this apartment," Rester growled at Mello.

The man's eyes flashed angrily but he nodded sharply. "Wasn't planning on going anywhere."

Rester glanced back at Near. "Documentation for your current case is in your room. I will keep an eye out here."

No. No, he was not going to leave Isaac with Mello. "Commander-"

Near's breath caught in his throat as Mello stepped forward and hesitantly pulled Isaac into his arms. Isaac's face scrunched up as the strange man pulled him toward him and Near prepared himself to go save the boy – but then Isaac's expression changed into one of curiosity and he pressed a hand against Mello's cheek as he began to babble. A look of pure amazement and something incredibly gentle planted itself on Mello's face as he looked down at his son.

Near turned on his heel and went into the bedroom once more. His throat had grown dry and a profound sense of loss seemed to wash over him as he saw Mello with Isaac. But, at the same time, he felt kind of…amazed. And…fond.

Was it even possible to feel such conflicting emotions at the same time?

Near let out another deep sigh and looked toward the documentation sitting on his bed, as well as one of their many laptops. He might as well get some work completed while he let the two spend time together.

Not that he had much of a choice in the matter.

Near closed his eyes and forced himself to focus on the case. What was happening outside this room was not important. Catching a serial killer was important.

And that was what Near needed to concentrate on at the moment.

Hit was hours later when loud crying broke into Near's train of thought. His brows furrowed as the crying steadily began to grow louder. He quickly pushed himself to his feet and hurriedly shuffled out of the bedroom. Mello was pacing, Isaac against his chest, and trying to calm the crying child. Near glanced around quickly, noting that Rester was not present despite his earlier words, and moved fast. He ducked into Mello's path, plucked Isaac from his arms, and then dropped down to the ground with the child. Mello blinked at his now empty arms and then down at Near in confused annoyance. Near ignored him.

"Blocks?" he asked the crying boy. Isaac's tears continued to fall but the loud cries faded as he held out his hands. Near leaned over and grabbed the child blocks, placing them in front of Isaac and slowly beginning to stack them on top of one another. Isaac clumsily grasped a block and tried to move the blocks into a tower formation, pouting dramatically as they toppled over. His brows furrowed as he once again tried to push one block against the other.

The blocks began to topple and Near moved his hand forward to steady them. Isaac, tears now dry, clapped his hands and grabbed another block. He tried to lift it up onto the other blocks but fumbled. Near gently grabbed his little hand and helped him to put the block on the others.

Near glanced over his shoulder as Mello dropped down beside him. Mello was staring at the two of them, no discernable expression on his face. Not able to know what Mello was thinking, Near turned his attention back to Isaac. The blocks began to form a big, circular structure, and Isaac's eyes were shining more by the minute.

"It's like he's your son," Mello finally said, his voice low. Near looked at him from the corner of his eye but Mello did not turn his eyes away from Isaac. "When we were kids, you were always the one that was able to entertain himself. You could find anything, dominos, blocks, hell, even random bits of paper, and make some sort of game. I needed people. I wanted to go outside. I… he was so small when I left," Mello admitted as Near helped Isaac place another block. "I had no idea what to do with him today."

Mello lapsed into silence and Near kept his face carefully blank as he continued to help Isaac. He took a few moments to process the words…and the emotion that he heard in them. "There is much of Mello in Isaac," Near finally said, keeping his eyes away from the older blond. "Isaac, like Mello, is very tenacious, brilliant, and expressive. Mello has much to teach Isaac."

"…are you _encouraging_ me, Near?"

"Merely stating a fact," Near murmured. It was at that moment that Isaac stood and, with both hands, pushed against the structure they had built. Near reared back as each and every block came crashing down to the ground. Isaac squealed and laughed, clapping his hands together in excitement. Near sighed. "As I stated, Isaac is much like Mello."

Mello, whose mouth had been hanging open in shock, let out a loud bark of laughter. "Well, I guess I can't deny that. I remember knocking a few of those over in my day…"

Near frowned at the pile of blocks, remembering the many, many towns and cities Mello had destroyed in their childhood. "More than a few," he grumbled.

Mello's grin was sharp as he sent a wink in Near's direction. "Nah, wasn't that many." He reached out and picked up one of the blocks, only to let out another sharp laugh as Isaac used his tiny hand to slap it out of Mello's grip.

"Isaac, no," Near said firmly, grabbing the block and handing it to Mello once again. The small blond pouted but leaned over to grab his own block – only to fall over onto his backside. Near tensed, ready for the yelling, but the boy just continued to rebuild his monument, this time Mello adding his own blocks on occasion.

"Is Mello staying with us?"

Mello didn't look at him but he nodded his head before talking to Isaac. Near pushed himself to his feet and padded down the hall to ask Rester to prepare a place to sleep for Mello.


End file.
